web-search

Web search using the agent's built-in WebSearch tool, no API key required. Accepts simple query strings and returns relevant web results; best for current information, recent events, fact verification, and real-time research Effective queries benefit from specificity, year inclusion for recency, and domain-specific terminology; iterative refinement recommended for broad or multi-perspective searches Results cannot access paywalled content and depend on the agent's WebSearch implementation; for advanced filtering and relevance scoring, use the web-search-tavily skill instead Always cite sources with URLs and cross-reference claims across multiple results, especially for time-sensitive information

INSTALLATION
npx skills add https://github.com/jwynia/agent-skills --skill web-search
Run in your project or agent environment. Adjust flags if your CLI version differs.

SKILL.md

Web Search

Search the web using the agent's built-in WebSearch capability. No external API keys required.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

  • You need to find current information not in your training data
  • The user asks about recent events, news, or updates
  • You need to verify facts or find sources
  • Research requires real-time web data

Do NOT use this skill when:

  • Information is already in your knowledge base
  • You're working with local files or code
  • You need advanced filtering (use web-search-tavily instead)
  • A more specific research skill applies

How to Search

Use the agent's built-in WebSearch tool directly. The tool accepts a query string and returns relevant web results.

Basic Search

Simply invoke WebSearch with your query:

Query: "React 19 new features"

Effective Query Strategies

Be specific and include context:

  • Bad: "react hooks"
  • Good: "React 19 useActionState hook tutorial"

Include the year for current information:

  • Bad: "best TypeScript practices"
  • Good: "TypeScript best practices 2025"

Use domain-specific terms:

  • Bad: "how to make website fast"
  • Good: "web performance optimization Core Web Vitals"

When to Search Multiple Times

Search iteratively when:

  • Initial results are too broad → Refine with more specific terms
  • Looking for multiple perspectives → Search different phrasings
  • Verifying facts → Search for corroborating sources
  • Deep research → Start broad, then drill into specifics

Output Handling

After receiving search results:

  • Cite sources - Always include URLs when sharing information
  • Synthesize - Combine information from multiple results
  • Verify - Cross-reference claims across sources
  • Date-check - Note publication dates for time-sensitive information

Source Attribution Format

When sharing information from search results:

According to [Source Name](URL), ...

Sources:

- [Title 1](url1)

- [Title 2](url2)

Limitations

  • Results depend on the agent's WebSearch implementation
  • Cannot access paywalled or login-required content
  • May not have the most recent information (depends on indexing)
  • No domain filtering or relevance scoring (use web-search-tavily for these features)

Related Skills

  • web-search-tavily - Advanced search with API key, domain filtering, and relevance scores
  • research-workflow - Structured research with planning and synthesis
  • fact-check - Verify specific claims against sources
  • claim-investigation - Investigate viral claims and social media content
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